m 
S^2_ 
THE GENERA AND SPECIES OF CULTIVATED FERNS. 
" f 
very short, often uniting with the next superior venules, forming two rows of areoles between each two primary 
veins. Fronds simple or pinnate, from one to three feet long, glabrous, coriaceous or somewhat membranous ; 
rhizome creeping. — There are various technical characters by which to distinguish this genus from the preceding 
ones, some of them of minor importance and perplexing unless to a practised eye. The most essential points by 
which it is easily recognised, are the arcuate venules combined with two series of son, between each two of the 
primary veins. Fig. 12 represents the upper portion of a frond of C. rcpens (nat. size). 
1. G. angustifolium, J. Smith : Swartz. — A slender, evergreen, stove fern ; native of the West Indies and 
South America. Fronds glabrous, simple, acuminate, veiy narrow, reclining with a somewhat revolute margin, 
coriaceous, from a foot to a foot and a half long, dull green, decurrent at the base ; lateral, articulated on a 
short, creeping, scaly rhizome. Sori medial ; veins immersed. 
2. C. rcpens, J. Smith : Swartz. — A creeping, evergreen, stove species ; from the Vest Indies. Fronds simple, 
reclining, lanceolate-acuminate, from one to one and a half foot long, glabrous, undulated, rather membranous, 
deep green, decurrent at the base ; lateral, articulated on a scaly, slender, creeping rhizome. The upper surface 
of the fronds are scattered over with white scales attached opposite the apex of each veinlet. Sori round, 
terminal. 
3. O.nitidum, J. Smith: Kaulfuss. — A" rigid and 
rather erect-growing stove fern ; native of the West 
Indies. Fronds glabrous, from one to two feet long, 
coriaceous, undulated, deep green and shining, lanceo- 
late-acuminate, decurrent at the base ; lateral, articu- 
lated on a short, scaly, creeping rhizome. Sori medial 
or terminal ; veins indistinct. 
4. C. Phijllitidis, J. Smith : LinnEeus. — A rigid and 
rather erect-growing stove fern ; from the West Indies, 
Fronds simple, glabrous, from one to two and a half 
feet long, rather narrow, slightly undulated, pale green, 
lanceolate-acuminate, coriaceous, decurrent at the base ; 
articulated on a scaly, short, creeping rhizome. Sori 
medial. 
5. C. dectirrens, J. Smith. — An ornamental, ever- 
green, stove species ; from Brazil. Fronds glabrous, 
pinnate, from two to three feet high, rather erect, with 
lanceolate-acuminate, narrow, membranous, pale green 
pinna?, which are six to ten inches long, decurrent at 
the base, and running down the raehis ; they are 
articulated with a scaly, creeping rhizome. Sori ter- 
minal. 
\jV/IPHOBOLUS, Kaulfuss. Name derived from 
A { iiiplwbolos, covered with snow; in allusion to the 
fronds being covered with a white starry pubescence. 
Sori round, terminal, sometimes irregular and then 
usually confluent, protruding through dense stellate 
pubescence. Veins pinnate, internal, indistinct; ve- 
nules parallel, transversely anastomosing, producing 
from their exterior side, from two to five free or irregular 
anastomosing vcinlets, which are sorifcrous at their 
apices. Fronds simple, from one to one and a half foot 
long, thick and fleshy, or coriaceous ; fertile fronds 
generally contracted ; rhizome creeping. — This genus 
has the most definite characters of any in this section 
of Polypodica; ; for in the absence of fructification it is 
at' once known by its stellate pubescence and simple 
fronds. The internal obscure venation cannot be well 
seen unless'the cellular tissue of the frond is destroyed ; 
it is one of the most exquisitely beautiful of all tho 
forms of venation developed throughout the whole 
family of Ferns. Fig. 13 represents a fertile frond, 
and a sterile one of N. Lingua (nat. size). 
1. N, nummularifolius, J. Smith. — A very elegant 
little evergreen stove species, native of tho East Indies. Sterile frond subrotund, half an inch in diameter. 1 i jjtIi t 
g' - ccn, very fleshy. Fertile frond linear, two inches long, dceiinvnt at the base. Hoth are articulated on a 
f:,i. 13, 
